BC voters have an additional two weeks to decide how they want to vote in the HST mail-in referendum.
Craig James, acting chief electoral officer, extended the HST referendum deadline to compensate for the effects of the Canada Post labour dispute.
Eligible voters who are not on the voters’ list now have until midnight, Friday, July 22 to request a voting package.
Ballots that had been due back by July 22 must now be returned to Elections BC by 4:30 pm on Friday, August 5.
Elections BC has indicated that voters, including those in Powell River-Sunshine Coast, should receive their voting packages by July 7.
The ballot packages came with a postage-paid envelope, but voters can also choose to directly return their ballots to a Service BC or Elections BC collection centre by August 5. Locations are listed at www.elections.bc.ca.
Voters who do not receive a voting package may call Elections BC at 1.800.661.8683 to register to vote or update their voter record and request an HST referendum voting package.
Voters are asked to vote yes if they want to eliminate the 12-per-cent HST and return to the combination of the five-per-cent GST and seven-per-cent provincial sales tax. To keep the HST, voters have to vote no.
In an effort to garner support to retain the tax, the provincial government has pledged to lower the rate to 10 per cent by 2014 if the majority of voters favour keeping the HST. It will also send out additional one-time rebate cheques for low-income seniors and families with children.
